The biggest reason is I want a mount of my fish, not someone elses. If you pay to have them done right they also look a lot better. I agree they are a little more expensive and require a little bit more care, but to me it is worth it.

I dont bonk nates, as Rooster said I cant even catch one. But if I did get my trophy I wouldn't lie and say that I released it.

How, when and where has a lot to do in the equation of which of these fish I would prefer. But then again I have been fortunate and am very thankful to have had both. Looking back though, I'd say the most memorable of these fish were the trophies that were released.
One standout was a mamouth king taken off a kelp line in 30 feet of water, 15ft from the boat on a quick retrieve to rebait. The awe and astonishment of the take and long battle was completely overshadowed by the look in my sons eyes as he held the beast quietly in the water for a while and then slowly released it, asking if we really had to let it go. That fish still lives on for both of us today and we can both see it as clearly now in that moment as if it was today.
Conversely, because of my ignorance and greed, I am also reminded daily of what has now become a very bittersweet memory. My first "trophy" steelhead was a stunning wild 20+ chrome hen steelhead taken from a beautiful stretch of a river that is now closed to fishing in order to protect what remains of the run. Not possessing the faith or patience to wait to catch a large buck, having since caught a number, I elected to have that hen mounted. It is a skin mount and it is spectacular. Even my wife insists that it hang in place of honor in our living room for all to see. But to me, as perfect as the mount looks, it will never do justice to the moment that magnificent fish and I shared, a moment I tried and failed to keep for myself.

I would have to say a 50lb king, Iv'e caught numerous in the 40's and hooked quite a few over 50lb's but to land them in a river is tough. My largest steelhead to date was just a little over 28lbs. from a fairly local river.

So, Rooster/Drifter, when are we heading up to Sitka for some moochin'? Maybe I can sneak out and actually get to go this year?

I've seen what a 20# steelhead has done to me, would like to find out what 5 more #s would do to me, I vote for the steelhead. Besides, isn't the record king around 100#s and steelhead 40#s, my math tells me the a 25# steelhead is a better deal.

Biggest Steelhead was 26.8# on a scale; largest King was a bit over 42. The first one was no big deal as the fish just wanted to sit in its 'hole' and not be bothered.

The king (lots of very large spring run kings in the Rogue; biggest this past season was a 72 # fish a fellow took on a 7wt fly rod) was hooked on an 18' Bruce and Walker Spey Rod. 140' of fly line and the better part of 200 yards of backing off the reel when the guide boat came over and picked me up (bless his heart!!).

Without the assist, I was well on my way to getting spooled.
fae

I have never caught a steelie close to 25, but I have nailed a 40LB King in my fav. river last summer. That was probably the best fight for any river caught fish in my life. Caught on a shrimp tail and corkie banging the bottom on light gear.... what a blast. (8'6" rod with 12#test)

I have never had a steelhead run out 150 yards of line like he was going to sprint all the way back to the Pacific Ocean on me. The fish last summer did just that...what a rush! Another 10#'s on that fish and I dont know if I would have landed it.

If you couldn't tell already, I voted for the king.

king, the bigger the better

i wanna beat my #20 pound steelhead, so I want a 25+pound ironhead

It's gotta be the steelhead for several reasons. For one, anybody can get a 50 lb chinook if they have the time and money to fish The Kenai, Rivers Inlet or, The Skeena for a few weeks.

I don't know anywhere on earth you can be sure of getting a 25 pound steelhead just by putting in a few days or weeks on the water.

Also, because steelhead are caught in rivers they have several more ways to kick your butt than does a chinook in the open ocean.

I have caught several 50 plus pound chinook and none tested my tackles like a 25 pound steelie would.

I've done both on the OP 26 and 52 The 26 was far more memorable, but not as much as a 28.5 on the flyrod elsewhere and a 30.1 on gear. Don't think I'll likely join the 30/75 club as I usually don't fish rivers with fish in that class and never fish any intercept fisheries in the salt.

As far as the fight, I'll put up a 50+ Kasilof king caught under the flows / depth / color / drifter against anything in the salmonid family. Never, ever, have I seen other fish take line like they will ... and's that's running 40 main and 60 leaders.

I'm looking for that 35+ steelie now

I'd take the king....It would be bigger than Wheedog's done!

25lb Hen... Oh Hell yeah

50lb king... It better be chrome!

No love for the silvers...We got one that was pushing 25lb and the fight sucked...Maybe one of these days I'll figure out how to post pics I'll show everyone. By far the most beautiful fish we've landed.

I'm surprised at the poll results so far...

I've caught a couple of kings that big, bank fishing on a small, but rough, PNW river. They're pretty cool, but I can honestly say I've caught many, many steelhead that I appreciated more, and none of them were 25 pounds.

The one in my avatar was caught not too long ago, and it outshines any king I've ever caught.

Fish on...

Todd.

Steelhead rock my world....I'd love to land a 25 pounder!

I've been a member of the 25-60 club for quite sometime now and I'd have to say it all depends on how and where,pretty tough to beat a 60lb chinook in a large fast flowing river with no place to go but down stream,then again a leaping ,monster Sauk river native is about as close to heaven as this old man will get

I think I'll take the 50 lb + king ,Bob is right talk about a fish that can strip a reel in a matter of seconds.Bob hope you use that rope (40 lb test) for clinents and not your self.Minibear dont give up on the silvers,I got a 25 lb'er one time in the valley and a 20 lb'er on Kodiak and both were great fighters also both were wild, that might have something with you being sour on the silvers....p.s.got to go ,wife just finshed dinner ,going to eat some wild silvers!!!

I've been thinking this over for a couple days and I would have to say at the present time I would take the steelhead for the simple fact that I have yet to land 1 over 17 lbs. but I have accomplished the #50 king. That being said, if I didn't already have the king there would be no doubt in my mind, that is what I would prefer. Bigger is better.

My largest Steelhead @ 26 #'s was a Sol Duc buck that fell for the worm in gin clear water and 8# test. Just after going under the bridge and turning the corner above the hatchery. At the top end of the run behind a large boulder he had my float submerged within the first foot of hitting the water. After putting the steel to em he proceeded to burst downriver with a reel smoking run! With line leaving rapidly we had no other choice but to follow. After finally retrieving a ton of line he was finally within my sight...just 15 feet away. He came straight up at me, then the inevitable happened...he made a turn...showed me his 3X tail and made another long burst twards you guessed it...Wood! Watching my line B-line twards this fishes preconceived emergency escapement plan had me with the thought of bitter defeat. Luckily for me...I thought...he turned just in the nick of time. Since he had already shown me how fast he could strip line he now had testing to see if I could keep up in mind. Reeling like a mad man I caught up just as he came across the bow. Swinging my tip down to the water with no thumb he once again bolted. Working our way to shore we finally brought the scrapping buck to hand in knee deep water just short of the spillway where we removed the hook, revived him, thanked him then set him free.

Cool thing was within seconds of my hookset my brother had his video in hand covering the action! I will always have it not only in memory but also memorex.

My largest King to date a 41 # buck was a half hour tussle on a 12# leader. His first three jumps had him totally out of the water. The sound of his reentries had fellow bankies from above and belows attention. With him being just above and myself being on the outside of a large deep right hand corner thoughts of him turning tail had me concerned. Anytime I put pressure on him his negative reaction had me for the longest time just keeping a hook in him to slowly wear him out. After finally working him in after 20 minutes for the first net attempt he chose to add 10 more minutes to the fight after having seen it. The second and successful net attempt by Craven was more of a defensive measure as the fish turned and headed straight for his legs. Craven spreads his feet and then jambs the net down just as the fish bolts between his legs. He yarded the net up and our eyes couldn't believe that the tail was still hanging out and that was no small net. That fish is only 1 of 2 40+ fish that I have had the pleasure to be apart of.

So having memory plus the memorex and with not having gone over the 50 mark for a king I chose...king for me please!


FJ...out.

Just because it's late.......

I'll reassert my earlier post. This fall, within 20 minutes, I landed 42# and 38# kings. Off the bank, in a small, but rippin' little river.

I was pumped up big time...and sliding fish bigger than my leg in length, and as big as my body in girth, was pretty damn cool.

Keep in mind, I'm 6'3" and weigh 195 pounds.

We're talkin' BIG fish.

They still didn't even come close to the over 20# steelhead I've caught...and I've never landed one over 25#.

Oh, and as noted earlier, I have landed two kings over 50#...

Twenty-five pound steelies...WOW...but I guess I've caught enough steelies, and enough big ones, even if I haven't caught a 25#, that I have my goals set on a 30#.

It'll happen...I fish the right waters, and I fish the right way. Granted, my "right waters" don't include Kamchatka, or the Skeena system, by they're where I fish, even if they're not in big numbers.

The dream of catching that 30 pounder keeps me doing it, spring after spring, from the Sauk and Skagit to the Hoh and Sol Duc.

I'll get it some day.

After that? Get another...

Maybe it's just me...but I really can't even put a 20+, or 30+, chinook in the same class as a 10 or 12 + steelhead, much less a 20 pounder, or bigger.

Fish on...

Todd